9:00: Arrive at the office

I’ve enjoyed the flexibility of working from home on some days, but coming into the office means I get to meet as many people as possible. Impromptu coffee run conversations have been a great way to learn about the different projects going on across the company.

9:15: Daily standup

Most project teams at The PSC kick off the day with a quick standup meeting. It’s a chance to run through the day’s key tasks and meetings. I’m working on a project which is helping an Integrated Care System (ICS - a partnership between all the organisations in a region delivering healthcare) redesign their autism services. It’s a complex project with lots of moving parts, so these standups have been crucial in helping me stay on top of everything.

9:30: Internal project meeting

In addition to my client project, I’m also working on my own internal project—exploring how The PSC staff can safely use AI to boost productivity. It’s been really fulfilling to take ownership of this project and see it through from beginning to end. This week, I’ve been working on an AI chatbot using ChatGPT, so I meet with my manager to get his feedback.

10:00: Client project work

Back at my desk, I focus on one of my tasks for my client project. I'm leading on the development of a plan for 'lived experience engagement' to ensure that as the project progresses, its direction is collaboratively shaped by the views of people with lived experience of autism. At first, it was a bit overwhelming to figure out the plan with an uncertain budget and timeline. But after speaking with colleagues on other teams who’ve done similar work, I’ve gained some great insights.

11:00: Client project ‘problem-solve’

I’ve set up a meeting to share my draft engagement plan with the team and get their feedback. What I love about working here is how much I’m treated as an equal. Since I’m leading this part of the project, I’m also leading the meeting, presenting my draft and discussing improvements.

12:00: Career manager catch up

Like all staff at The PSC, I've been assigned a Career Manager who supports my personal development. We chat about what’s been challenging this week, what I’ve learned, and where I should focus my efforts in the coming weeks.

12:30: Lunch 

I join the other staff taking lunch at the communal table - we use one of the big office screens to catch some of the Olympics!

13:30: Internal project interview

I meet a staff member to interview them for my AI project: we talk about the tasks for which they'd like AI support and their concerns around AI, such as information security risks. Over my internship, I have interviewed multiple staff for this project - it's been a great opportunity to get to know the inner workings of the PSC better and hear about what other staff do day-to-day.

14:00: Internal project work

I spend some time working on my internal project. At the end of the internship, I will share a report with recommendations for next steps for The PSC, such as launching a pilot of the AI tools which I have shortlisted for consideration. I'll present my recommendations to members of the Senior Leadership Team.

15:30: Client project reflections

Each week, our project team takes some time to reflect on how things are going. We talk about our wellbeing, workload, and what’s been challenging or rewarding. I’ve been genuinely impressed by how much The PSC values individual wellbeing—there’s a strong sense of camaraderie here.

16:00: Final touches to the engagement plan

I go back to fine-tuning my engagement plan based on the feedback I got this morning. Tomorrow, I’ll be presenting it to the Programme Directors from the ICS. I’m a bit nervous, but mostly excited to have the chance to present my work to clients. 

17:45: Wrapping up

I pack up and head home, ready to do it all again tomorrow!

Saoirse Osborne was a summer intern at The PSC. For more information about recruitment at the PSC, please visit our careers page.